LAM09

We're more than willing to spend £100m plus on Leao or Gvardiol. The last thing we need is another stop-gap. Neither did Salah or De Bruyne. This narrative of players not delivering for us really needs to stop at this point, as none of them were giving a fair crack of the whip. Both players have gone on to become the best the league has to offer, and we lost out on them because of managers. There's nothing more to be said about it. Lukaku's issue has always been his ego. He was a big fish in a small pond in Belgium along with the likes of Defour & Witsel, and none of those players managed to live up to their potential. I can't agree with your thoughts about Torres; he had everything needed to be a top CF but heavily relied on his ability to burst past someone (just look at his montage against Vidic, who some believe to be the best CB to every play in the league). The moment he got seriously injured at Liverpool, he lost that edge, and as a result, his confidence was shot. Roman, Ancelotti, or whoever it was still went ahead and spent a record fee on someone living off a reputation. That's the biggest worry I have as well. More players than I can name have been gifted with talent but couldn't handle the pressure of being away from their families, adapting to different surroundings, or the struggle of having to fight for a place. These sorts of signings have to be more than just gambles that will at the very least return a small profit should things turn sour, which has been the story of almost every youth player we've signed since the Belgian trio & Salah. Just look at Real Madrid; they've gotten a lot of flak for their lavish spending on players who can't even legally buy a drink yet, even though there's a purpose behind their thinking - the first team. Edit - Just to clarify, I'm not saying we should follow RM's strategy with regards to spending stupid money on kids. We should rather be going after players who could make the jump to the first team from the get-go. A name that comes to mind is Kvaratskhelia. @Vesper pointed him out as a potential option before most of Europe even knew about him.

That's a common trend at this club, especially when it comes to CFs. Buy them at the wrong time and expect big things from them. There are so many bad habits that I hope disappear under new ownership. I'm also under no illusion that those bad habits won't be replaced by new ones. Osimhen (24 in a matter of days). It isn't hard to narrow it down.

I recall Lukaku doing well in Belgium and then having a promising loan spell at WBA. I'm not going to say anything about a player I don't have any clue about, but the former delivered to an extent despite his technical flaws. As I've previously stated, the direction is a pleasing one & one that arguably proved most successful in terms of incomings a decade or so ago. However, both appear to be options for a few years down the road rather than ones that could seemingly break through by next summer.

Everyone is the second coming of someone. Why can't players be the first of their kind?

Didn't a certain 18 year old from Belgium say something similar over a decade ago? It's nice to see, but I wouldn't take much from it.

Croatia got knocked out yesterday.

Someone that could be banned for months?

This was the season for him to really stake a claim. I hope it's just a blip for him & he'll be able to bounce back for next season or 2024. On your last point, there has to be more to these injuries than meets the eye. Have any changes been made since Boehly took over?

SMS would have been the perfect option 3-4 seasons ago. He's regained some of his form in the last 12 months, but I'd hesitate to pay Lazio's asking price now.

It's the same story for a number of managers. Santos' insistence on two holding midfielders until the Switzerland game and Tite, to an extent, come to mind. Managers should do everything in their power to help their teams succeed rather than putting them on a leash.

The fact that Saka was taken off first was baffling. Theo couldn't handle him. I'm sure Southgate's run is now over.

He waited till France scored before making changes. Reactive managers only have themselves to blame.

They were favourites due to their roster. Thankfully, games aren't won on paper. Morocco has what is effectively home advantage, so that's playing its part too. Africa and the Arab world are rooting for them to do what most thought was unthinkable (except for Eto'o). https://talksport.com/football/1241836/samuel-etoo-world-cup-final-cameroon-morocco-african-nations/

I agree with the first part. However, I think France will have the edge. The history between both nations will add some spice. The bolded part. I thought you put money on the game.

Sorry for your loss 😉

They are making strides to make sure they have the best possible team around them to help the club strive, so it's promising. Let's see what type of position we're in 12 to 18 months from now.

Santos' Portugal has been built on being solid defensively and hoping for something to give or a flash of Ronaldo magic. The outcome of this match largely depends on which side Santos ultimately puts out.

Please re-read what I said and point out where I mentioned SA. I'll wait... Have you seen our academy in recent years and those that have made the step up to the first team? Did they "develop" elsewhere and then magically appear across the EPL? The less I say about embarrassing opinions, the better. We're under new ownership & are clearly going in a different direction, so the past has little to no relevance to what's to come.

There's an underdog for a reason. Morocco shouldn't have gotten out of their group, beaten Spain, etc. If Ronaldo starts for Portugal, it will play into Morocco's hands.

It's a crazy investment for someone who wouldn't be joining for two years. We have more pressing issues than that. You don't need "pull" when you have a solid scouting system. Just ask Benfica & Enzo.

I think Morocco has a solid chance regardless of the XI.

Knowing Santos, I wouldn't be surprised if the roles were reversed against Morocco.

First hattrick of the tournament. Some way to make your full WC debut.

In that case, are they going to ignore Mbappe and Haaland for the next 3–5 years?

Dreams of an African winner remain. A match V Portugal or Switzerland will probably go the distance as well.